17. Book I: Buried Feelings in a Friendship

Walther did not mind lying still in the dim light on the narrow bed. He actually liked it, as long as Noel was always by his side the young man never minded at all.

It was too early to sleep, and too relaxed to move. After cleaning up and getting dressed they lay looking up at the ceiling. The perfect time, then, to satisfy some of his curiosity about his lover.

"In the future... do you want children or not?" Noel asked breaking the silence.

The question made Walther flinch, he widened his eyes slightly, because the question Noel asked was a bit sensitive.

"Why are you asking that?"

"Because I'll never be able to give you a child." he replied sadly.

Walther laughed and turned to his lover. "You don't have to feel sad when you can't give me a child, because we can adopt a child."

Noel spontaneously turned around to face Walther. "Really? You're going to adopt a child for us?"

"Hmmnn... but not now. Maybe sometime in the future. That's okay, right?"

Noel didn't reply, he just hugged Walther even tighter.

"I want us to be like this forever, is that possible?"

Without answering, Noel shrugged his shoulders to indicate that he didn't know.

Walther smiled slightly, then lifted his lover's head to rest in his arms. Silent for a long time, their bodies wrapped around each other, listening to each other's breath, Noel tightened his embrace and in that moment Walther felt a warm feeling flow through his heart.

Under the moonlight streaming through the glass windows and the curtains waving in the wind, two bodies were pressed together. No dialog broke the silence of the two lips that were tightly clenched together.

The pounding of the heart beating rapidly in his chest was tapping Noel's eardrums. His sapphire eyes stared intently at Walther's figure who had already sunk into dreamland. In the quiet, his mind recalled how this young man had expressed his feelings for him. As Walther said, he was neither poetic nor romantic. But that didn't matter to Noel, all he wanted was comfort and peace when he was with him.

***

That night, Walther was disturbed from his sleep by a hand lying between his neck. That hand belonged to none other than the sweet figure sleeping beside him. He turned his head to look at Noel and at that moment Noel changed his position from lying down to facing him, while one of his legs was hugging his waist.

Walther smiled, righted Noel's legs so that they were aligned and hugged him as he gazed at his features. He could feel Noel's warm breath brushing against his face, Walther's hand slowly reached out to gently stroke the young man's cheek with his knuckles. Then moved to the nose, stroking it with his fingertips.

"You look so much like him, your blue eyes, your nose, your lips..." Walther smiled slightly. "...he said he hated me, I don't know why."

"To be honest me and him have nothing to do with each other, I hope by having you I can forget about him." Walther tightened his embrace, kissing the top of the head of the young man who had become his lover softly before resuming his sleep.

***

Cheers rang out from the students-especially from the girls. They were currently watching a lively basketball game, dozens of girls suddenly shouted in unison when a young man managed to put the ball into the net, adding numbers. Dozens of girls screamed his name, like fangirls at an idol concert.

"Kyaaa... Matt you're so cool!"

"Matt Gilhooley, date me!"

Those were some of the lines shouted out by some beautiful, sexy girls who were cheerleaders.

Every sentence that came out of the mouth of the beautiful girls in sexy clothes was only responded with a faint smile by the young man they called Matt who had only been focused on the match.

The noisy gymnasium made Noel uncomfortable, he disliked gym class and the screams of the girls. If it wasn't for the teacher who told him to deliver a basket full of balls to the storeroom, Noel wouldn't be here. It just so happened that the storeroom was close to the gymnasium, so he couldn't help but pass by.

The whistle blew, signaling that the match was over and the team led by Matt Gilhooley had won the match.

Matt picked up a mineral water bottle and drank it. In the midst of the crowd, his attention accidentally caught the shadow of a blond young man with a medium build, carrying a basket full of balls towards the warehouse.

As the drink was gulped down, Matt's lips developed a smirk.

After placing the basket of balls in the shed, Noel turned around to go outside. However, he was surprised to find the young man he had been avoiding. Matt stood in the doorway with a bottle of mineral water in hand. Noel's heart skipped a beat as the young man stared at him intently. The image of that night-when he was harassed by this young man-flashed back into his mind.

Matt was a basketball prodigy at school. He was the team leader, but outside of school he was nothing more than a delinquent with a life of freedom. It was covered up by the school because Matt's parents were one of the school's financial contributors. With a haughty expression on his face, the young man stepped into the warehouse and approached Noel.

"What do you want?" asked Noel sarcastically.

Matt replied casually. "Don't put on that expression, I just want to talk to you."

Noel slowly stepped back, his whole body trembling. How could he be sure that this young man in front of his only wanted to talk to him.

Matt's steps stopped as soon as his mouth asked a question. "What is your relationship with Walther Collins?

Noel was surprised at the question the young man asked. How did Matt know that Noel had a relationship with Walther?

Noel paused, and Matt continued, "Yesterday I saw you on the street with him, what's your relationship? If you're looking for a rich young man to take advantage of, you've got the wrong guy-"

"No, I'm not. You're wrong to think of me that way."

Matt snorted harshly, just as his mouth was about to reply, a voice from the doorway diverted both of their attention.

"Matt, you're here, I've been looking all over for you."

"John, I told you to wait," Matt told the young man named John.

The young man was now walking over, adding to the caution on Noel's part.

"Why are you wasting your time with someone like him?" John asked as he looked down at Noel with the corner of his eye. As the distance between him and Noel grew closer, the young man gasped and looked at Noel who was looking down from his toes to his head.

"Woah... from this close, he looks like Nate too."

The comment just now pulled both sides of Matt's lips, he smiled dismissively. "Ah, that's right. That bastard Walt, he couldn't get Nate so he turned to this Little Rabbit."

What does this guy mean? Who is Nate? Noel's heart suddenly felt tight at the thought.

"I'll tell you one thing." Matt looked intensely at Noel, "You're just an outlet for him."

"Walther's not that kind of person," Noel denied Matt's statement.

"Really? Are you sure? I'll bet your body has been touched by him."

Matt's words immediately silenced Noel.

"Why are you silent? Ah... my guess must be right."

"He must get fucked every night," John chimed in.

Noel clenched his fingers. And out of nowhere his hand moved, grabbing the young man in front of his by the collar.

The moment Noel felt the dark eyes of the young man in front of his change, a hand was already on his neck.

"You think because you have something to do with Walther, I'm afraid, is that it?"

Noel's hands-which had been tugging at the collar of Matt's sweatshirt-moved to release the one hand that was tightly gripping his neck. Meanwhile, the young man named John seemed to be enjoying the spectacle of Matt's bullying.

"Asshole, let go of Noel!" Someone shouted loudly in the doorway.

Simultaneously, the three people who were there turned their attention to the owner of the voice.

"Cody!" Noel called out, as Matt's grip on his neck loosened.

As soon as Cody approached, he was immediately greeted by a pair of dark eyes that stared intently.

"Look who's here." Matt pulled the corners of his lips into a lame line. "Want to be a hero?" His arms were folded across his chest.

Cody Alexander stared back, anger mounting and his hands clenched into tight fists, ready to land a punch on the face in front of him. The young man was furious-hardly able to think logically seeing his best friend being bullied. Cody tried not to immediately punch the arrogant face of the person in front of him because he didn't want to make a scene.

"This is none of your business, why are you interfering?" John, who had been silent, spoke up.

Suddenly Cody's gaze turned to the young man. "Noel is my best friend, his business is my business too."

Matt rolled his eyes in disgust. "Who do you think you are to go against me to defend him. You're nothing in this school but a kid picked up by a rich family."

Without holding back, Cody flung the knuckles of his right hand at Matt's face.

John rounded his eyes as Matt's face let out a stifled yelp, but it wasn't from Cody, but from Noel. The young man had already landed his fist earlier than Cody.

The attack only made Matt take a step back while holding his face. Cody, on the other hand, was in disbelief at what Noel had just done; bringing his knuckles down on the face of the head of the basketball team and the school's most notorious punk.

Noel glared at Matt sharply, he ground his teeth, hardening his jaw. "That punch, because you insulted my best friend."

Matt, who had just been hit, was certainly not silent, he grabbed Noel's collar with his left hand and raised his right hand with his knuckles clenched into a fist. Within an inch of his attack being avenged, his movement was restrained by a hand that caught his wrist. However, Matt took another initiative, his left hand gripping Noel's shirt collar came off and landed right on Cody's face who was now holding back his attack. Cody crumpled to the floor.

"Cody!" Noel crouched down to his friend and helped him up. Cody rubbed his bruised cheek with the back of his hand.

"Wanna fight?!!!" challenged Matt, now overcome with rage. His breathing was ragged, the pounding behind his ribs raging.

"YOU GUYS OVER THERE, STOP FIGHTING!!!" A shout boomed out like thunder, extinguishing the flames of the four people who were arguing.

The shout came from Mr. Jackson, a sports teacher who was known for being strict in educating his students. Although he was forty years old, the teacher still had a well-built body.

"All four of you, go to the principal's office. Reflect on what you did today." Mr. Jackson pointed at the four students in turn and left to continue the ongoing sports lesson.